The History of the NetBSD Project

NetBSD took its roots from the original UCB 4.3BSD via the Net/2 release and 386BSD. The NetBSD project was founded by Chris Demetriou, Theo de Raadt, Adam Glass and Charles M. Hannum.

Frustration with the quality of patches in the wild and the inability to get patches included in 386BSD led to the founding of the NetBSD project in 1993. NetBSD's original focus was quality and architecture independence. FreeBSD was formed later with a focus on the i386 PC platform.

Since then, in addition to the many developments within the project, NetBSD has imported changes from other sources, including 4.4BSD Lite. NetBSD has also been used as the basis of other derivatives, including Apple's Rhapsody and Force 10's FTOS

History of the Unix operating systems

NetBSD release announcements

NetBSD 0.8 (20 Apr 1993)
NetBSD 0.9 (23 Aug 1993)
NetBSD 1.0 (26 Oct 1994)
NetBSD 1.1 (26 Nov 1995)
NetBSD 1.2 (04 Oct 1996)
NetBSD 1.2.1 (20 May 1997)
NetBSD 1.3 (04 Jan 1998)
NetBSD 1.3.1 (09 Mar 1998)
NetBSD 1.3.2 (29 May 1998)
NetBSD 1.3.3 (23 Dec 1998)
NetBSD 1.4 (12 May 1999)
NetBSD 1.4.1 (26 Aug 1999)
NetBSD 1.4.2 (19 Mar 2000)
NetBSD 1.4.3 (25 Nov 2000)
NetBSD 1.5 (06 Dec 2000)
NetBSD 1.5.1 (11 Jul 2001)
NetBSD 1.5.2 (13 Sep 2001)
NetBSD 1.5.3 (22 July 2002)
NetBSD 1.6 (14 Sep 2002)
NetBSD 1.6.1 (21 Apr 2003)
NetBSD 1.6.2 (01 Mar 2004)
NetBSD 2.0 (09 Dec 2004)
NetBSD 2.0.2 (14 Apr 2005)
NetBSD 2.0.3 (31 Oct 2005)
NetBSD 2.1 (02 Nov 2005)
NetBSD 3.0 (23 Dec 2005)
NetBSD 3.0.1 (24 July 2006)
NetBSD 3.0.2 (04 Nov 2006)
NetBSD 3.1 (04 Nov 2006)
NetBSD 4.0 (19 Dec 2007)
NetBSD 4.0.1 (14 Oct 2008)
NetBSD 5.0 (29 Apr 2009)
NetBSD 5.0.1 (02 Aug 2009)
NetBSD 5.0.2 (12 Feb 2010)
NetBSD 5.1 (19 Nov 2010)
NetBSD 5.1.2 (02 Feb 2012)
NetBSD 5.1.5 (15 Nov 2014)
NetBSD 5.2 (03 Dec 2012)
NetBSD 6.0 (17 Oct 2012)
NetBSD 6.0.1 (26 Dec 2012)
NetBSD 6.1 (18 May 2013)
NetBSD 6.1.1 (22 Aug 2013)
NetBSD 7.0 (25 Aug 2015)
NetBSD 7.0.1 (22 May 2016)
NetBSD 7.0.2 (21 October 2016)
NetBSD 7.1 (11 March 2017)
NetBSD 7.1.1 (22 December 2017)
NetBSD 7.1.2 (15 March 2018)
NetBSD 8.0 (17 July 2018)
NetBSD 7.2 (29 August 2018)
NetBSD 8.1 (31 May 2019)
NetBSD 9.0 (14 Feb 2020)
NetBSD 8.2 (31 March 2020)
NetBSD 9.1 (18 Oct 2020)
NetBSD 9.2 (12 May 2021)
NetBSD 9.3 (04 August 2022)
NetBSD 10.0 (28 March 2024)
NetBSD 9.4 (20 April 2024)
NetBSD 8.3 (4 May 2024)
NetBSD 10.1 (16 Dec 2024)

BSD timeline

The UNIX system family tree: Research and BSD
---------------------------------------------

First Edition (V1)
 |
Second Edition (V2)
 |
Third Edition (V3)
 |
Fourth Edition (V4)
 |
Fifth Edition (V5)
 |
Sixth Edition (V6) -----*
 \ |
 \ |
 \ |
Seventh Edition (V7) |
 \ |
 \ 1BSD
 32V |
 \ 2BSD---------------*
 \ / |
 \ / |
 \/ |
 3BSD |
 | |
 4.0BSD 2.79BSD
 | |
 4.1BSD --------------> 2.8BSD
 | |
 4.1aBSD -----------\ |
 | \ |
 4.1bBSD \ |
 | \ |
 *------ 4.1cBSD --------------> 2.9BSD
 / | |
Eighth Edition | 2.9BSD-Seismo
 | | |
 +----<--- 4.2BSD 2.9.1BSD
 | | |
 +----<--- 4.3BSD -------------> 2.10BSD
 | | / |
Ninth Edition | / 2.10.1BSD
 | 4.3BSD Tahoe-----+ |
 | | \ |
 | | \ |
 v | 2.11BSD
Tenth Edition | |
 | 2.11BSD rev #430
 4.3BSD NET/1 |
 | v
 4.3BSD Reno
 |
 *---------- 4.3BSD NET/2 -------------------+-------------*
 | | | |
386BSD 0.0 | | BSD/386 ALPHA
 | | | |
386BSD 0.1 ------------>+ | BSD/386 0.3.[13]
 | \ | 4.4BSD Alpha |
 | 386BSD 1.0 | | BSD/386 0.9.[34]
 | | 4.4BSD |
 | | / | |
 | | 4.4BSD-Encumbered | |
 | -NetBSD 0.8 | BSD/386 1.0
 | / | | |
FreeBSD 1.0 <-----' *--NetBSD 0.9 | BSD/386 1.1
 | | .----- 4.4BSD Lite |
FreeBSD 1.1 | / / | \ |
 | | / | | \ |
FreeBSD 1.1.5 .---|--------' | | \ |
 | / | | | \ |
FreeBSD 1.1.5.1 / | | | \ |
 | / *--NetBSD 1.0 <-' | \ |
 | / | | \ |
FreeBSD 2.0 <--' | | BSD/OS 2.0
 | \ | |
FreeBSD 2.0.5 \ | BSD/OS 2.0.1
 | .-----\------------- 4.4BSD Lite2 |
 | | \ | | | | |
 | | .-----|------Rhapsody | | | |
 | | | | NetBSD 1.3 | | |
 | | | | OpenBSD 2.3 | |
 | | | | BSD/OS 3.0 |
FreeBSD 2.1 | | | |
 | | | | *--NetBSD 1.1 -. BSD/OS 2.1
 | FreeBSD 2.1.5 | | | \ |
 | | | | *--NetBSD 1.2 \ BSD/OS 3.0
 | FreeBSD 2.1.6 | | | \ OpenBSD 2.0 |
 | | | | | \ | |
 | FreeBSD 2.1.6.1 | | | \ | |
 | | | | | \ | |
 | FreeBSD 2.1.7 | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD 1.2.1 | |
 | FreeBSD 2.1.7.1 | | | | |
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | |
 *-FreeBSD 2.2 | | | | |
 | \ | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.1 | | | | |
 | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.2 | | | OpenBSD 2.1 |
 | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.5 | | | | |
 | | | | | OpenBSD 2.2 |
 | | | | *--NetBSD 1.3 | |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.6 | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD 1.3.1 | BSD/OS 3.1
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 2.3 |
 | | | | | NetBSD 1.3.2 | |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.7 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | BSD/OS 4.0
 | FreeBSD 2.2.8 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | v | | | | OpenBSD 2.4 |
 | FreeBSD 2.2.9 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | |
FreeBSD 3.0 <--------* | | v | |
 | | | NetBSD 1.3.3 | |
 *---FreeBSD 3.1 | | | |
 | | | | | BSD/OS 4.0.1
 | FreeBSD 3.2----* | .--*--NetBSD 1.4 OpenBSD 2.5 |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 3.3 | | | | NetBSD 1.4.1 | |
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 2.6 |
 | FreeBSD 3.4 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | BSD/OS 4.1
FreeBSD 4.0 | | | | | NetBSD 1.4.2 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 3.5 | | | | | OpenBSD 2.7 |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 3.5.1 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 *---FreeBSD 4.1 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.1.1 | | / | | | |
 | | | | / | | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.2 Darwin/ | NetBSD 1.4.3 | |
 | | Mac OS X | OpenBSD 2.8 BSD/OS 4.2
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | |
 | | 10.0 *--NetBSD 1.5 | |
 | FreeBSD 4.3 | | | | |
 | | | | | OpenBSD 2.9 |
 | | | | NetBSD 1.5.1 | |
 | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.4-. | | NetBSD 1.5.2 | |
 | | | Mac OS X | | | |
 | | | 10.1 | | OpenBSD 3.0 |
 | FreeBSD 4.5 | | | | | |
 | | \ | | | | BSD/OS 4.3
 | FreeBSD 4.6 \ | | | OpenBSD 3.1 |
 | | \ | | NetBSD 1.5.3 | |
 | FreeBSD 4.6.2 Mac OS X | | |
 | | 10.2 | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.7 | | | |
 | | | *--NetBSD 1.6 OpenBSD 3.2 |
 | FreeBSD 4.8 | | | | |
 | | | | NetBSD 1.6.1 | |
 | |--------. | | | OpenBSD 3.3 BSD/OS 5.0
 | | \ | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.9 | | | | OpenBSD 3.4 BSD/OS 5.1 ISE
 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD 1.6.2 |
 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 3.5
 | | | | | v |
 | FreeBSD 4.10 | | | |
 | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 4.11 | | | |
 | | | | |
 | `-|------|-----------------|---------------------.
 | | | | \
FreeBSD 5.0 | | | |
 | | | | |
FreeBSD 5.1 | | | DragonFly 1.0
 | \ | | | |
 | ----- Mac OS X | | |
 | 10.3 | | |
FreeBSD 5.2 | | | |
 | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 5.2.1 | | | |
 | | | | |
 *-------FreeBSD 5.3 | | | |
 | | | | OpenBSD 3.6 |
 | | | *--NetBSD 2.0 | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 1.2.0
 | | Mac OS X | | NetBSD 2.0.2 | |
 | | 10.4 | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 5.4 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 3.7 |
 | | | | | NetBSD 2.0.3 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | | | | v OpenBSD 3.8 |
 | 6.0 | | | | | |
 | | | | | \ | |
 | | | | | NetBSD 2.1 | |
 | | | | | | |
 | | | | *--NetBSD 3.0 | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 1.4.0
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 3.9 |
 | FreeBSD | | | | | | |
 | 6.1 | | | | | | |
 | | FreeBSD 5.5 | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD 3.0.1 | DragonFly 1.6.0
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 4.0 |
 | | | | | NetBSD 3.0.2 | |
 | | | | NetBSD 3.1 | |
 | FreeBSD 6.2 | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 1.8.0
 | | | | OpenBSD 4.1 |
 | | | | | DragonFly 1.10.0
 | | Mac OS X | | |
 | | 10.5 | | |
 | | | | OpenBSD 4.2 |
 | | | *--NetBSD 4.0 | |
 | FreeBSD 6.3 | | | | |
 | \ | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | | | | | DragonFly 1.12.0
 | 7.0 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 4.3 |
 | | | | | NetBSD | DragonFly 2.0.0
 | | FreeBSD | | 4.0.1 OpenBSD 4.4 |
 | | 6.4 | | | |
 | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD 7.1 | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 2.2.0
 | FreeBSD 7.2 | *--NetBSD OpenBSD 4.5 |
 | \ | | 5.0 | |
 | \ | | / | \ | |
 | | Mac OS X | | | \ | |
 | | 10.6 | | | \ | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | DragonFly 2.4.0
 | | | | | | 5.0.1 OpenBSD 4.6 |
 | | | | | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | | | | | | | |
 | 8.0 | | | | | | | |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | 7.3 | | | | 5.0.2 | DragonFly 2.6.0
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 4.7 |
 | FreeBSD | | | | | | |
 | 8.1 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 2.8.2
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 4.8 |
 | | | | | | *--NetBSD | |
 | FreeBSD FreeBSD | | | 5.1 | |
 | 8.2 7.4 | | | | | DragonFly 2.10.1
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 4.9 |
 | `-----. Mac OS X | | | | |
 | \ 10.7 | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 5.0 |
 *--FreeBSD | | | | | | |
 | 9.0 | | | | NetBSD | DragonFly 3.0.1
 | | FreeBSD | | | 5.1.2 | |
 | | 8.3 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 5.1.3 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 5.1.4 | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 5.1 |
 | | | Mac OS X | `--------. | |
 | | | 10.8 | | | |
 | | | | *--NetBSD | | |
 | | | | | 6.0 | | | 
 | | | | | | | | OpenBSD 5.2 DragonFly 3.2.1
 | FreeBSD | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | 9.1 | | | | | 5.2 | |
 | | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | | 5.2.1 | |
 | | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | | 5.2.2 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | \ | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.1 | |
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 5.3 DragonFly 3.4.1
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.2 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.3 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.4 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.5 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 6.0.6 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | *--NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 6.1 | |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | |
 | | 8.4 | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 6.1.1 | |
 | | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD | | NetBSD | |
 | 9.2 | | 6.1.2 | |
 | | Mac OS X | | | |
 | | 10.9 | | OpenBSD 5.4 |
 | `-----. | | | | DragonFly 3.6.0
 | \ | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | | | NetBSD | |
 | 10.0 | | | 6.1.3 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 3.6.1
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 3.6.2
 | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 6.1.4 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 5.5 |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 3.8.0
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 3.8.1
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 3.6.3
 | | | | | | | |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | |
 | | 9.3 | | | | |
 | | | | NetBSD | DragonFly 3.8.2
 | | | | 6.1.5 | |
 | | Mac OS X | | |
 | | 10.10 | | |
 | | | | OpenBSD 5.6 |
 | FreeBSD | | | |
 | 10.1 | | | DragonFly 4.0.1
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 4.0.2
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 4.0.3
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 4.0.4
 | | | | | |
 | | | | | DragonFly 4.0.5
 | | | | | |
 | | | | OpenBSD 5.7 |
 | | | | | DragonFly 4.2.0
 | FreeBSD | | | |
 | 10.2 | | | |
 | | macOS *--NetBSD 7.0 | |
 | | 10.11 | | | OpenBSD 5.8 |
 | | | | | `--. | DragonFly 4.4.1
 | FreeBSD | | | | OpenBSD 5.9 |
 | 10.3 | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 7.0.1 | |
 | `------. | | | | | DragonFly 4.6.0
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | macOS | | | OpenBSD 6.0 |
 | 11.0 | 10.12 | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 7.0.2 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | *--NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 7.1 | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | macOS | | | | DragonFly 4.8.0
 | | | 10.13 | | | OpenBSD 6.1 |
 | FreeBSD | | | | | | DragonFly 5.0.0
 | 11.1 FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | | 10.4 | | | | OpenBSD 6.2 DragonFly 5.0.1
 | | | | | | | |
 | `------. | | | NetBSD | DragonFly 5.0.2
 | | | | | 7.1.1 | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 7.1.2 `--. |
 | | | | | | |
 | | | | `-----. OpenBSD 6.3 |
 | | | *--NetBSD | | DragonFly 5.2.0
 | | | | 8.0 | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.2.1
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.2.2
 | FreeBSD | | | *--NetBSD | |
 | 11.2 | | | 7.2 | |
 | | macOS | | | |
 | | 10.14 | | OpenBSD 6.4 |
 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | DragonFly 5.4.0
 *--FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | 12.0 | | | | | DragonFly 5.4.1
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 6.5 |
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | 8.1 | DragonFly 5.6
 | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.6.1
 | | FreeBSD macOS | | | |
 | | 11.3 10.15 | | | |
 | FreeBSD | | | | OpenBSD 6.6 |
 | 12.1 | macOS | `-------. | |
 | | | 10.15.1 | | | DragonFly 5.6.2
 | | | | *--NetBSD | | |
 | | | | | 9.0 | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.8
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.6.3
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | | | | 8.2 | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.8.1
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 6.7 |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | | 11.4 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.8.2
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 5.8.3
 | | | | NetBSD | OpenBSD 6.8 |
 | | | | 9.1 | | |
 | FreeBSD macOS | | | | |
 | 12.2 11 | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | `------. | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 *--FreeBSD | | | | | | |
 | 13.0 | | | NetBSD | OpenBSD 6.9 DragonFly 6.0.0
 | | | | | 9.2 | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 6.0.1
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | FreeBSD macOS | | | OpenBSD 7.0 |
 | | 12.3 12 | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 6.2.1
 | | | | | | | OpenBSD 7.1 |
 | FreeBSD | | | | | | |
 | 13.1 | | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | | DragonFly 6.2.2
 | | | | | NetBSD | | |
 | | | | | 9.3 | | |
 | | | | | | | | |
 | | | macOS | | | OpenBSD 7.2 |
 | | | 13 | | | | |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | | 12.4 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | DragonFly 6.4.0
 | | | | | | OpenBSD 7.3 |
 | FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | 13.2 | | | | | |
 | | | | | | | |
 | `------. | | . | | |
 | | macOS | \ | | |
 | | 14 | \ . OpenBSD 7.4 |
 *--FreeBSD | | | \ \ | |
 | 14.0 | | | \ \ | |
 | | FreeBSD | | | | | |
 | | 13.3 | *--NetBSD | | | |
 | | | | | 10.0 | | OpenBSD |
 | | | | | | | | 7.5 |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | | |
 | | | | | | 9.4 | | |
 | | | | | | NetBSD | |
 | FreeBSD | | | | 8.3 | |
 | 14.1 | | | | | |
 | FreeBSD macOS | | | |
 | 13.4 15 | | OpenBSD |
 | | | | 7.6 |
 | | | NetBSD | |
 | | | 10.1 | |
 | | | | |
 | | | OpenBSD DragonFly 6.4.1
 | | | 7.7 DragonFly 6.4.2
 | | | | |
FreeBSD 15 | NetBSD 11 OpenBSD DragonFly
 -current | -current -current -current
 | | | | |
 v v v v v

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